I’m a TaMaroon now

Taking an MA degree was part of my plan before I even finished my undergrad. This year, 3 years later, I had the guts to finally pursue it.

I was initially torn between 5 great schools – UP-D, UP-M, DLSU, ADMU and UST. My choice became clear when I listed down 2 important things I needed to take into account.

1. distance from work AND home
2. tuition fee

UP-D – affordable, but far from work and home

UP-M – affordable, far from work but near my home

DLSU – high tuition, far from work but somewhat near my home

ADMU – tuition a little high, near work but far from home

UST – high tuition, far from work but near my home

So the choice was pretty obvious for me. UP-M. I was planning to take it next school year (2018) knowing that the deadline for applications is over. But I had the courage to call up their office to ask if I can still apply. Supposedly, their deadline was the last Friday of April, but they allowed me to extend if I could submit my requirements within the following week. (UP-M graduate school requirements | UP-M Master of Management curriculum)

Because there weren’t a lot of non-business degree holders who apply for Master’s under business, I was really worried my Fine Arts degree (with zero business unit for credits!) would be enough reason to reject my application. Even their form didn’t even include an option for BFA. However, I was really set into pursuing my graduate studies that I wanted to take on the shot despite that.

To file for some of the requirements I need, I dropped by my undergrad school, FEU. I also visited my former thesis adviser to say hello, when I realized that I could ask for her help in filling up my reco form. During the time, I knew I needed to have great and credible people to do my reco to up my chances of passing evaluation despite being a Fine Arts graduate. So I also bugged my boss, the department’s general manager, Gelo, to ask for help on my second reco form.

When I submitted my papers, one of the admin staff oriented me on how the application process goes. Written exam + 3 essays + oral exam. During the time, I was super optimistic knowing I could easily nail it since I’m pretty studious. I even had the guts to tell the admin staff that we’ll meet again for my acceptance letter.

All that optimism was flushed when I started to look for reviewers I needed to study to pass the exam. I still had a month to review, but it worried me when my scores in the practice exams I took were not increasing as much as I hope for.

My officemates were all pretty supportive. Noel and Yanna sent me reviewers from when they took their own exam and it was of great help. I didn’t want to notify any of them about my application so I won’t be embarrassed if I failed, but since some of them slip up to others and some saw me studying, it ended up with the majority finding out. I was actually worried that if I failed, I won’t have the guts to show my face in the office anymore lol.

It was around 2 weeks before the exam when we got notified of the judgment day. It was a long 9am to 6pm time-constraint written exam with 3 analytical essays and half a day of oral examination (aka mini debates aka life-or-death decision making).

I knew I didn’t stand out, but I also knew I wasn’t as bad as I expected. But nonetheless, my worry was at the brink. LOL.

And then a week later, I received a congratulatory email! Yaaay!

I got my acceptance letter. Filed the needed paperworks and got my ID last Monday! Thanks a bunch to everyone who supported me.